Abstract

Lactobacillus species, naturally present in the microbiota of grapes and wine, are gaining increasing attention in the wine industry due to their significant influence on the chemical and sensory profiles of wine. This study investigates the impact of two lactic acid bacteria strains-Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ML Prime and the native Levilactobacillus brevis BCV-46-on the fermentation of Chardonnay wines. Laboratory-scale fermentations were carried out with the simultaneous inoculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and each lactic acid bacteria strain. Both yeast and bacterial combinations successfully completed alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, respectively, without inhibitory interactions between the strains. The study revealed distinct variations in the chemical, volatile, and sensory profiles of wines. Wines inoculated with L. brevis showed higher levels of lactic and acetic acids, along with increased concentrations of esters, C6-compounds, aldehydes, sulfur compounds, ketones, and other volatile compounds, with 2-phenylethanol and phenethyl acetate being dominant. In contrast, wines fermented with L. plantarum were characterized by balanced acidity and higher concentrations of alcohols, dominated by isoamyl alcohol and acetate. The sensory profile demonstrated a clear relationship between volatile compounds and sensory characteristics. Chardonnay wines were defined by moderate notes of honey, creaminess, spices, citrus, tropical fruits, and herbs. Wines fermented with L. brevis exhibited pronounced floral, sesame, and solvent notes, whereas these attributes were less noticeable in wines fermented with L. plantarum, which were dominated by yeast-derived notes. These findings highlight the critical role of bacteria strain selection in optimizing the chemical composition and sensory qualities of wine.